Progress, Storms and more Fish
38:22.80S 030:53.29E
0858z
20/11
Perfect day's sailing yesterday after turning off the engine at 3am
and pulling out the genoa and main for 9-10kn progress close hauled in quite
flat seas and mostly sunny. The wind was ENE at 15kn giving us about 25kn on
deck. Just after dark the wind increased to 25kn as predicted, but then kept
going and we had 30-35kn for much of the night with apparent speeds sitting on
around 40kn (which I couldn't help drawing the comparison to the wind speeds the
AC crews experience on deck ALL THE TIME). Regardless how much we shortened sail
(ending with 3-reef main and 1 reef staysail) we couldn't slow below 10kn.
Fortunately seas still quite flat so we carried the speed through the night and
clocked 229 nm for the 24hrs from 3am-3am since turning off the engine. Still
close hauled today with the same storm rig flying and still doing mostly over 10
kn with peaks around 12.5 although the seas somewhat choppier now from the storm
winds of the last day or so, so the ride is a bit bumpier and we mostly choose
an angle on the waves to remove any pounding while still heading in the rightish
direction. We're about 50nm S of our GC route but hopefully this'll get us into
the 40's W winds sooner. All looking forward to winds from behind and the boat
lying a bit flatter. Last night there were sleeping bodies draped over anything
and everything and remaining mostly where they fell - stretched across the
coffee table and sofa, on cabin and saloon floors, standing-up on the boat's
lean angle against the deck mattresses, curled on a cockpit seat being regularly
flushed by driving spray.
Even so, still managing to eat well with Kay
and Robbo destroying the Galley as they turned Ryan's monster Mahi Mahi into
tasty - even though there was apparently a missing unknown ingredient - Thai
fish cakes. Ryan started the day with a medium size Spanish Mackerel which was
swiftly guillotined into steaks enough for 2 meals, and followed shortly after
with about the largest Mahi Mahi I've ever seen caught.
The rough
conditions didn't stop the youthful foredeck crew from having a challenging
workout with uphill pushups and situps almost bringing tears to the rest of our
spectating eyes as we struggled to lift the beer cans to our lips in time with
the rolls and pitches.
A few appearances from HAL with no hydraulics
currently and more water in the fuel. So far on top of the fuel issue after many
more engine room hours scrubbing (actually a desirable spot as we get closer to
Antarctica) and some lazarette and bilge time ahead tracing hydraulic cabling to
surely yet another well hidden and undocumented circuit breaker for the
hydraulic power.
As I look at the nav screen to still see 10+ kn, now
close reaching in 25kn True wind from the NNE with the same 3 reefed main and
reefed staysail I'm confident that we'll crack a 240nm for a 10kn average over
24 hours, if not today, then certainly once we get the 30kn from
behind!
SJB